Due to the unprecedented spread of COVID-19, educational systems across all levels throughout the United States have taken the decision to keep students at home in order to prioritize their safety, opting to implement virtual instruction as opposed to in person classes. Although this move greatly reduces students’ and faculty members’ chances of being exposed to illness on campus, VCU students are now at a disadvantage when it comes to their education.

The inability to remain on campus creates a host of challenges when it comes to the quality of students’ education. Normally, VCU provides multiple educational resources for students such as Cabell library, meeting rooms, labs, access to computers and printers, etc., all in order to ensure that they are well equipped to handle and tackle their studies and assignments. Remote instruction for the remainder of the semester places a moratorium on these tools and causes a great deal of stress for students who, facing an unprecedented pandemic, now must deal with the disadvantages of virtual instruction without the same means for success they are accustomed to. This, added to the fact that class material and course loads will remain the same if not greater, puts students in an extremely uncomfortable position.

Additionally, classes now taught through Blackboard, Zoom, and various other means of virtual instruction do not offer the same benefits of face-to-face interaction that students are accustomed to when meeting TAs and professors on campus. Despite being able to interact via phone, email, and video-calls, the limitations experienced by many students — one’s WIFI availability (or lack thereof), logistical organization, home environment, electricity costs — are not taken into account. These issues exist for both students as well as professors who are now forced to understand quickly the complexities of online courses, some of whom have not taught an online class. It goes without saying that hundreds of students have never taken an online course and will struggle to understand the process.

Furthermore, remote instruction at this point in the semester causes tremendous difficulty for professors who had their class tailored to the traditional in-person setting. Classes in which the level of participation is considered an important factor when determining grades or those that necessitate group projects and peer interaction now see professors forced to change their grading system and course plans after half of the semester has already passed. It is unfair for both the students and the professors to be forced to seek alternative methods of grading and tasking assignments at this late stage in the year.

VCU prides itself as a diverse campus with students from states across the U.S. and countries throughout the globe. International students forced to remain home due to limited flights back to America and even students living in different parts of the country may be forced to stay awake or wake up at inconvenient times in order to "attend" virtual classes. For example, lectures starting at 8am in Richmond would require that students on the West Coast be awake and alert at 5am in order to participate in the class. For our international students, this would mean very early or very late class times. Such a situation is unfair to them as VCU emphasized that the majority of students should return to their permanent addresses during this period of uncertainty and risks to health. This harms the mental and physical health of a vast number of students who must continue doing class work, "attending" class, trying to earn a source of income, and figuring out when to sleep, wake up, and eat while attempting to maintain some form of a natural, normal routine that is simply impossible given the nature of this set up.

Many institutions, such as Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and University of Virginia have already moved forward and implemented a pass/fail option for their students. Offering a pass/fail opt-in option for classes of a student's choosing for the Spring 2020 semester, during this time of anxiety, worry, and constant threats to health, helps alleviate some of the stresses caused by the drastic measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

VCU students are hard working, passionate, and strong, but given the dire circumstances, it is difficult to operate at full capacity when access to tools and resources are severely limited. Given all that is going on around the world, the panic and worry that stems from this virus, unemployment, and uncertainty moving forward, the health of students must not be compromised. Making the semester a touch less anxiety-inducing is not something that would diminish the effort of students to do well in their classes, but would instead offer some leeway for those who have been placed in difficult situations when it comes to their academic success. 

The steps VCU has taken thus far, such as allowing some folks facing difficulties at home, financial troubles, insufficient amount of food, to return to campus have been greatly appreciated and commended. However, the next step is for VCU to allow students the option to make classes of their choosing operate with a pass/fail grading system. These are the future leaders of the country, as VCU professors would say. They need to be taken care of during a time like this which has never been experienced in the modern day era. The pass/fail option is a must in order to grant a sense of relief to students as well as professors during this extraordinary situation that is constantly changing. Thank you.